No Aspies in the military?

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I think it is very hard for the military to "break" aspies like they do NTs. My daughter (mildly aspie) was unable to be broken by the boot camp experience or anything they did to her thereafter, and, according to her own recounting, they tried pretty darned hard, and used a lot of humiliation. She did what they asked of her, but they couldn't break her attitude and dismay at some of their tactics. Sometimes our aspie stubbornness comes in handy. She is now getting her degree on Uncle Sam's dime, and she's no different than when she went in years ago. I cannot say that for a lot of the young people who go into the military.

A few friends of mine who were also in the military and have AS weren't able to be "broken" either. They want pliable idiots in the military, just smart enough to do what they are asked to do, but not so smart as to question the entire experience, or even why a massive bloated military is more important than education, whether war is ethical, etc. There also might be some confusion among the brass that makes these decisions that somebody with asperger's wouldn't be a "team player".

It is entirely possible to be an aspie and be in the military. I wouldn't go into a recruiter's office bragging about it, though. One had better be darned certain they want a life with no privacy, in which the military owns your body and can do what they want with it. But, if one really wants to do it, I don't see why an aspie shouldn't just go for it anyway. Don't ask, don't tell!

Well speaking personally, I'm happy with the decision. It means I can't get drafted! (I know that's selfish of me)

But for my unbiased opinion, I think it's a logical choice. I mean like it's been pointed out, Aspies would have trouble adjusting to the millitary due to their inability to work in teams very well and the fact that most Aspies don't do too well under stress. Like it or not, Aspergers is a mental disability and has limits, and the millitary needs strong and able-minded individuals.

That's just my opinion though.

Look at "Lawrence of Arabia".

The man was one of the great heroes of the 20th century yet he was mad as a hatter and a homosexual as well.

I spent 4 active duty and 8 years in the reserve. I learned to adapt. I got out because this latest war makes it hard to hold a job and be a reservist at the same time.

I got diagnosed while IN the military. My CO found out he'd have to discharge me for it, but I was REALLY good at my job and that diagnosis accidentally fell in a paper shredder.

I tried going out for Army ROTC at my college a couple years ago but the DoDMERB denied me. This was well before this April 2010 notion. After that I was told by the ROTC office that the only way I could get in was to get someone to say that I was misdiagnosed as a child, so then I would be going around lying about myself, and I couldn't live with that. I don't think that the military should deny people based on reported disabilities. They should have a standardized test of some sort that gives a set standard of what kind of people they want to be working for them, and if someone doesn't fit the bill, then they would have a set reason. It's much more of a "don't ask, don't tell" scenario than anything. No one would have known about me being an aspie if I hadn't have told them. I exceeded all of their physical requirements and aced their classes, while some of their so-called more "qualified" people failed to do as such. Many of them held low GPAs and didn't meet these physical requirements, and some were even more socially awkward than I was and couldn't adapt as well to some of the pressure they were putting on us. It's funny the way things work in the military.

I think it's a good decision to keep Aspies out of the military. It will save lives.
Most Aspies have sensory issues and the military environment is very sensory provoking.